SimpleTech USB 2.0 1TB external hard drive

Although it has a few quirks and problems, the SimpleTech USB 2.0's low-profile designer looks, superior USB performance, and attractive per-gigabyte price combine to deliver a good value for your storage pound.

Although it has a few quirks and problems, the SimpleTech USB 2.0's low-profile designer looks, superior USB performance, and attractive per-gigabyte price combine to deliver a good value for your storage pound.

Too much is never enough, and this adage is unarguably accurate when it comes to hard drive space. With digital cameras churning out multi-megabyte images and digital video chomping up gigabytes of space in one shot, it's not hard to hit the limits of your hard drive.

One answer to your storage dilemma is a high-capacity external disk, such as the SimpleTech SimpleDrive USB 2.0 External Hard Drive.

Although it has a few quirks and problems, the SimpleTech USB 2.0's low-profile designer looks, superior USB performance, and attractive per-gigabyte price combine to deliver a good value for your storage pound.

Resembling a buttonless telephone answering machine, the small and stylish SimpleTech USB 2.0 features four LEDs on top that are arranged in a circle and function as a capacity meter.

Each LED represents 25 percent of the total storage; as the drive fills up, the LEDs light up to indicate how much space is being used. If the lights flash red when you power on the drive, less than 10 percent of the SimpleTech USB 2.0's storage is still available.

The SimpleTech USB 2.0's light segments also flash and chase each other around the circle during a copy operation. This could be a boon for novice users, letting them know when they should definitely not unhook their drive.

The SimpleTech USB 2.0 is formatted for Windows by default. It also comes with ArcSoft TotalMedia Backup software, which works in conjunction with the one-click backup button.

Like a few other vendors, SimpleTech has elected to include the software on the SimpleTech USB 2.0 itself, rather than on a separate CD. There's nothing wrong with this - unless you're like us and fail to read the small warning sheet cautioning you to copy the software before reformatting the drive. Luckily, the software was not critical to operation.

Despite a few rough edges, the SimpleTech USB 2.0 represents a good overall value. It packs a large amount of storage into a petite, classy-looking package, though the USB-only design limits its performance.

The Hitachi SimpleTOUGH external hard drive's rugged enclosure and embedded USB cable make it a great companion for road warriors. If you plan to knock your hard drive about during travel, this would be a good choice.

The LaCie Rikiki Go is a 2.5in ultraportable external hard drive that boasts the smallest dimensions in its class (75x109x13mm). The version we tested came with 500GB of storage (a 1TB version is also available) and a USB 2.0 interface. According to LaCie, speeds can be increased by up to 33 per cent via the company's USB Boost driver.

Smart home- or wearable tech: which is more likely to benefit your digital life this year?

I'm more likely to buy smart home- than wearable tech this yearI'm more likely to buy wearable- than smart home tech this yearI'll probably buy both smart home- and wearable tech this yearI'm unlikely to buy smart home- or wearable tech this yearNot sure/don't know